The invention relates to signals, signs, and other indicia for informing the occupants of a motor vehicle.
Owners of motor vehicles often wish to display a message to the occupants of the motor vehicle. This can be done verbally by the owner. However, there are times when the vehicle owner wishes to convey the message in a visual form, or audio form but not by his voice. As an example, an owner may wish to convey the idea that "no smoking" is permitted in his vehicle or that the occupants are to "buckle up". There are many ideas which the owner may wish to convey to the occupants of his vehicle.
Owners of a vehicle who are not the drivers or the occupant may wish to convey a message to the occupants of a motor vehicle. As an example, car rental agencies may wish to convey a message "Thank you for driving our vehicle", or "This is a No-Smoking Vehicle", or "Return Vehicle to Airport Only", or "Use Leaded Fuel Only", or other pertinent information.
Also, non-owner individuals may wish to inform the occupants of a motor vehicle of an event which has occurred or will occur, such as "Happy Birthday, Dad!". Or they may wish to display the symbol of "Super Mouse", or the words "Visited Fantastic Studios", or "I'm Proud to be an American", or other pertinent information.
Many different messages may be conveyed to motor vehicle occupants in an automatic manner by use of this invention.
The preferred embodiment of this invention is that of conveying to the occupants of the motor vehicle that "No Smoking" is allowed in the vehicle.
Many non-smokers intensely dislike the smell of fumes and the inhalation of secondary smoke produced by persons when cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other smoking materials are used. Some non-smokers are severely allergic to such smoke and object for health reasons to being in the presence of others who smoke. Also, the owner of a motor vehicle may not wish the motor vehicle to take on the odor from smoking materials. The smoke from cigarettes, or other smoking materials, rapidly permeate the interior of a motor vehicle, especially when modern air conditioning systems reuse the; same smoke laden air within the motor vehicle.
Also, the ride in a motor vehicle frequently presents an opportunity for relaxation and conversation and under these conditions the objecting non-smokers may feel tempted to suppress their objections to others smoking. This invention overcomes the problem of suppressed objections by automatically presenting the "No Smoking" message.
Thus, many non-smokers would welcome the availability of a device for use in a motor vehicle to provide an automatic, unmistakable indication to passengers that the smoking of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other smoking material is strongly undesired or forbidden in that vehicle.
This invention not only informs the passengers of the motor vehicle to "not smoke", but the invention also is designed in such a way as to replace the cigar/cigarette lighter provided in a motor vehicle which is often used by a passenger to initiate the smoking process.
Thus in the preferred embodiment, a warning to the occupants of a motor vehicle is given at the very physical location where an individual would attempt to initiate the smoking process.